Preparing parents for birth, Cradle Cincinnati
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How Cradle Cincinnati helps birthing parents address stress for better outcomes

“Social determinants of health are stressors that relate to physical health.” So says Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith, Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati, Field Service Assistant Professor at UC Medical Center, and Founder of Queens Village. “And chronic, prolonged stress just magnifies [health] problems.”  Consistent access to nutritious food, affordable and suitable housing, and transportation are just…

Self-care for Community Health Workers, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Boundaries as self-care: How caregivers (like CHWs) avoid burnout

Community Health Workers (CHWs) see people in crisis every day. Program participants might not have enough to eat or a safe place to live. They might be suffering from a chronic illness. It’s rewarding for CHWs to watch program participants make positive changes and overcome barriers. Those changes can have a profound effect on community…

Caregivers need care, Community Health Workers, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Caregivers need care, too

What if you’re caring for a family member unexpectedly? An ill parent, partner, or child can turn your world upside-down. Not only do you worry about their health, but it can feel as if their comfort and ability to recover is tied to the quality of your care.  That pressure can come from within, from…

Coping with chronic trauma, Community Health Workers, Cincinnati, Ohio
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When damage is ongoing: Coping with chronic trauma

What happens when you know you will face at least some form of trauma every day of your life? How do you cope? There are many types of trauma including acute, complex, generational, and chronic trauma. Acute trauma is the kind associated with one big event, like a home invasion or a car accident. But…

Self-Care and Racial Trauma, Community Health Worker, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Self-care and racial trauma: A tool for healing

Racial trauma can be caused in so many ways. Racism can be overt or covert. It might take the form of an explosive event or a small comment. People of color also constantly experience microaggressions—tiny hostile communications. Racism is traumatic whether it’s baked into the system or perpetrated by an individual. It’s traumatic when it’s…

Let's talk about mental health. Self-care improves mental health.
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Let’s talk about mental health: Reducing the stigma and boosting self-care

More than one in five adults in the United States is living with a mental illness. The same is true for youth ages 13-18.  Cincinnati nonprofit 1N5 takes its name from that statistic. Its mission is to “prevent suicide by erasing the stigma of mental illness and promoting optimal mental wellness.” Start at the beginning…

Self-care and substance use disorder, Cincinnati, OH
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Self-care and substance use disorder: A powerful tool

One of the most powerful tools in substance use disorder recovery is self-care. And it works equally well for those on both sides of the equation: the people who are in recovery and their loved ones. Kellen Hicks, Drug and Alcohol Counselor, MS, LICDCCS, Cincy Pride Counseling, says self-care can help those affected by substance…

Mindfulness and self-card for Community Health Workers
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What is mindful self-compassion? How does it affect health?

What does the voice in your head sound like? Are you your own worst critic? When you make a mistake at work, what do you say to yourself? Some people berate themselves: “That was stupid. You know better than that. Now you’re going to get fired.”  What about when you’re at home and you make…